TIM SHERWOOD has warned his misfiring Tottenham stars that he is looking to trim the squad to make them fighting fit for the run in to the end of the season.

Tim Sherwood concedes that players may leave White Hart Lane this January [AFP]

The new manager joked he had enough players for "15-a-side" in training and with Etienne Capoue being linked to Napoli and Lewis Holtby a target for Schalke, Sherwood admitted that certain players would be allowed to leave if an acceptable offer came in.

"I am absolutely prepared to see people go," he said. "There are no movements as far as I am concerned, although Franco Baldini might be working in the background.

"The only thing I know is that Ryan Fredericks has gone on loan to Millwall.

"But players will be allowed to go as long as they are the right players and not ones I want to take us forward.

"You can only go with so many and because it is a World Cup year, it is important for some players that they play and we cannot guarantee them game time.

"But we certainly won't be leaving ourselves short, and if none of them leave I wouldn't be shedding any tears.

"My priority is to keep us as strong as possible and I won't jeopardise that."

Sherwood admitted that the players who had been at the club for a long time were finding it easier to impress him.

players will be allowed to go as long as they are the right players and not ones I want to take us forward

Tim Sherwood

"To a certain degree it is supply and demand, particularly with some of the new players," he said.

"There are some players I trust more than others, but with each day I keep them I get to know them better.

"Etienne is a new player but he has never caused me a minutes problem. He realises I use Nabil and Lewis ahead of him because I know the young boy and trusted him.

"He has been asked to play in reserve games to keep up their fitness along with other lads but he has been happy with that. He has never mentioned a move to me.

Capoue has made just 8 appearances for Tottenham having signed from Toulouse in the summer [GETTY]

"But while they are at the football club they are in my plans. If I think they can benefit me against the team we are playing next I will use them."

On the flip side, Sherwood does not foresee many arriving during the window.

"Not many clubs have spent the money we have spent in the summer so it is very difficult to find people in January that will strengthen us," he said. "I am cool with not signing anybody ­ I just want to work with the players I have got.

"Would a new player settle in before the end of the season? The risk over the reward might be too great for us. I fully expect us to be competitive between now and the end of the season with what we have got."

Lewis Holtby has been heavily linked with a move back to Schalke [GETTY]